CONCORD, N.C. (Dec. 30, 1999) Melling Racing is banking on similar
backgrounds paying big dividends in the NASCAR 2000 season. Team owner
Mark Melling announced Thursday the hiring of Jerry Pitts Jr. as crew
chief for the No. 9 Kodiak Fords driven by Raybestos Rookie of the Year
candidate Stacy Compton.

Pitts, a veteran mechanic who has also served as crew chief for a number
of drivers over the last two seasons when he primarily worked with the No.
13 Elliott-Marino Motorsports entry and with Bill Elliott's No. 94
McDonald's Fords, will be responsible for chassis setups and race day pit
strategy.

"My focus is strictly on these cars," Pitts said. "A successful crew chief
has good people supporting him. He needs to be turning wrenches instead of
pushing papers around behind a desk, and Mark has put top quality people
in place in the shop and in the office to allow me to spend time working
on the cars."

Pitts also said he believes he can help Compton, who has made less than 10
career NASCAR Winston Cup Series starts, make the transition from the
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series to NASCAR's premier series.

"Stacy came up racing Late Model Stock Cars, and I came up in Late Models
as well," Pitts said, "so I understand where he is coming from as a
driver. I also know the challenges rookie drivers face in this series."

"I'm excited," Compton said. "Jerry impressed me with his knowledge, and I
believe his experience will really benefit the team. He's a tremendous
addition to the team we're building. Jerry, our engineer Skip Pope and our
General Manager Jeff Buice provide the knowledge, experience, ability and
desire we need to put the Kodiak car up front."

Placing Pitts in the crew chief position is another step in an ongoing
expansion effort the Melling team began last season.

"Our team had to grow in order to move to the next level," Buice said. "We
built a new shop, added a chassis building operation and tested a few
drivers last season. Since Atlanta, we've hired an engineer and five other
fabricators and mechanics.

"With Ernie Elliott building our engines and a great sponsor in Conwood,
we believe our team is now headed in the right direction."

The team previously announced a strategic alliance to exchange information
with Elliott Racing's No. 94 team, which will supply engines to Melling's
operation in the NASCAR 2000 season.

In addition to working with Elliott in 1999, Pitts also worked at Cale
Yarborough Motorsports and SBIII Motorsports. Prior to joining
Elliott-Marino he worked at Bahari' Racing for three years.